Summer Safety

Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:16 am

Wasn't going to share this embarrassing info, but I just read Dennis' new post about a man who flipped his tractor and died. What a tragedy!

Accidents, both major and minor, are waiting to happen all around us. Here's a picture of what happens when I was watching the lower portion of your post hole digger feed screw and I should have been watching the upper...

As the Cub was moving forward, the feed screw caught and whole front end of the tractor came up about 12" off the floor. A quick slap of the clutch stopped the forward drive, but the damage was already done. As it turned out, the top end of the feed screw was just barely taller than the garage opening. If the feed screw had been further up, it would have bent it and/or flipped me backwards. And to think I wrote an article for a national magazine which included two interviews with men who warned me about bending the feed screw on overhead doorways!!!!!

Thankfully, only the aluminum trim over my garage (and my pride) was injured.

Having head knowledge is not enough. Focusing on the task at hand and application of that knowledge is what helps prevent accidents. Thanks again, Dennis, for the reminder.

Re: Summer Safety

Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:31 am

One of those oops! moments. Glad nothing more serious happened.

Bob

Re: Summer Safety

Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:36 am

Thanks for the reminder, glad you're ok.

Tom

Re: Summer Safety

Fri Jun 22, 2012 12:39 pm

Thanks for the reminder to watch over our head when running running our tractors. Admitting our mistakes may lead to a bit of embarrassment and future kidding but if it helps someone else avoid an accident or injury it is worth that bit of humiliation. With that said I will share my not-so-little boo-boo. Two weeks ago when I was at the local strawberry festival I was getting ready to start the dually Cub after the show to take it to the loading area. I did what we should never do. I forgot to shake hands with the shifter. Luckily there were no spectators and nothing was in front. I was able to hit the shifter in time to knock it out of gear. I made a mental note that I needed to kick myself in the pants when I got home (surprisingly, I didn't need to change them).

The following day I backed Harley Cub out side the garage while I tinkered with a few things on him. Rosie came out to watch and she pulled up a stool and sat in the shop where Harley was parked. When I finished, I went to start Harley while standing in front of the right rear tire. Harley starts with a key and the starter spins the pto shaft from the rear to crank over, meaning the pto has to be engaged to start it. I reached over to engage the pto and turned the key. Harley's ignition system allows him to start instantly. What did I do or not do? In putting the pto in gear from the position I was in I inadverently assumed I shook hands with a standard Cub, when I actually had only engaged the pto.

With a turn of the key Harley roared to life and lunged forward with the tire pushing me forward. I hung onto him and tried to push in the stop switch. Well go figure, this is not a regular Cub, it has no on/off switch. Not thinking fast enough to remember there is a key switch, I hung on to the steering wheel with one hand to keep my feet off the ground and grabbed for the shifter with the other, all the while the right rear tire cleat is grabbing at my back pocket. I got it stopped after it moved about six to eight feet (you could see where my feet moved gravel as they slid along). It came to reast with the front tires back inside the shop. When I looked up to see Rosie I noticed she had jumped up and ran. She even took her stool with her to keep it safe. Thinking , I'm surprised I didn't produce a stool myself during this short lived bit of excitement.

I think I better brush up on the starting advice Rick gave me at the Bash when I comes to starting Harley. He had a routine that was something like, turn the fuel on, shake hands, walk to the back for the pto engagement and to the other side to start. I have been a little more observant of that shifter these last two weeks. Rosie now watches through a window from inside the house and only comes out when she knows it's safe

The bottom line is, no matter how safety conscious we are, Stanton and I can both tell you, things happen before you know it. Thankfully, we are both fortunate enough to still be here to remind you.

Re: Summer Safety

Fri Jun 22, 2012 12:51 pm

Barnyard I know how you feel. I did pretty much the exact same thing with my 52 Cub. It starts instantly also. I was on the left side of the cub and that tire was on me before I knew it. It was all I could do to reach the shifter and put it in neutral. Thankfully all that got hurt were my overalls and my pride. Talk about a lesson learned!

Re: Summer Safety

Fri Jun 22, 2012 8:48 pm

Stanton,

I'm glad your ok. You can replace the aluminum trim on the garage but not you!! One of my employees was in my office a couple of weeks ago and we were discussing work place injuries, which this guy is a safe worker and don't get hurt on the job, however he said he tends to get injured at home from time to time.

I told him that I believe it's because when were at home, were in our comfort zone and we don't really think about or tend to look for the hazards like we would at work or some place where there is potential for injury. We encounter many hazards on our off time and sometimes they are overlooked.

Thanks for sharing.

KT

Re: Summer Safety

Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:24 pm

Don't fix the trim on the garage for a while. It will be a constant reminder and will make you long term safer.

Re: Summer Safety

Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:09 pm

Dale Shaw wrote:Don't fix the trim on the garage for a while. It will be a constant reminder and will make you long term safer.